Outtakes Fate is a Cruel Harpy
by Hawkins
Summary: This is where I'll put the outtakes for my other story "Fate is a Cruel Harpy", check it out! Chp 2 Featuring : Happily Never After - Anna's POV
1. Afternoon Tea

Afternoon Tea

Thank you all for coming over to this story! I hope you enjoy it. I'll be putting all of the outtakes in this thread, so add it to your alerts. The next one is going to be with Anna. If you have any other requests for outtakes, please leave it in your review.

~*~*~*

It was another glorious afternoon, but nowadays all days were glorious. I, Rosalie Hale, was the happiest girl in the world and I was letting everyone know. Today, I was hosting an afternoon tea party to share my wonderful life with some of the girls around town, and also to brag a little about the wedding.

Of all the girls in this room, I had the best fiancé. Handsome, rich, popular Royce King, son of the bank owner. I was already in the planning stages of the wedding, even though Royce picked a date a year and a half from now. For what I wanted to accomplish, however, it was going to take that long to get all of the preparations in order. No one was going to have a more memorable wedding than mine. It was going to be a fairy tale, the Princess was going to finally get her King and live happily ever after.

I was smiling to myself while I thought about all of this. The girls were chatting mindlessly amongst themselves, indulging each other in the latest gossip. Handsome Dr. Cullen and his sweet caring wife, Esme, had her brother staying with them to attend university. Out of my group of friends sitting here sipping tea, I was the only one fortunate enough to speak with him. The others had only caught glimpses of him as he walked around town with his head hung low.

If there was one man that could change my mind about Royce, it was the mysterious Edward Masen. While his eyes were nothing to brag about, a strange color burgundy that did not seem to be natural, the rest of him was definitely worthy of my beauty. His sister, Esme, had been the only one in town that could hold a candle up to me in the appearance column, but she was not one to show off. She always wore simple dresses, not wishing to draw attention to herself. With the amount of money Dr. Cullen must surely be earning at the hospital, I was sure she could afford the latest fashions from Paris. Maybe it was a mid-western mindset. However, I should not say a mean word about her aloud. The few times she has socialized with my mother and me, she had always treated me kindly and been very complimentary. I was sure she would be an excellent sister-in-law. Not like Royce's wench of a sister, the ugly old maid.

"Rosalie, I heard from your mother that you had picked out your bridal flowers," I was interrupted from my thoughts by Missy Roberts, the mayor's daughter. She is a pudgy little girl that rejoiced in everyone else's happiness because she never had any of her own. I once caught her once bragging to someone with a story that clearly belonged to my best girlfriend, Vera.

"Why, yes I have. I was actually assisted by Mr. Masen. He was out shopping with dear Esme at the florists when we met. He is an expert on flora and the meanings behind them," I shared. "He is quite the intellectual, going to university to become a doctor."

"What flowers did you pick?"

"I wanted to go with something different, roses are so over done at ceremonies. I'm going to have yellow hyacinths lining the aisle, and then my bouquet is going to be striped carnations."

One of the girls snorted a laugh politely into her handkerchief. My eyes narrowed on my target as she quickly recomposed herself. This girl had obviously never been in my company before, or she would have known better than to let such a foolish noise out of her nose. She is very plain, and that frizzy, curly mess of brown hair on her head was atrocious. I think Mother said that she is the daughter of one of the university professors. Mother had invited the girl over to introduce her to the Rochester socialites. Now, she was interrupting my tea party with rudeness.

"Do you have a problem with the flowers I picked?" I raised my tea cup to my lips, taking a small sip. I hoped the look I was giving her was intimidating. She wasn't fazed.

"Well, Rosalie, I think you were misinformed about those flowers. I think you would be much better off with red roses. They are known as being the most passionate and loving of bridal flowers. Yellow in flowers has bad connotations, while pink and red are associated with love and happiness."

"What makes you believe you know the meanings of flowers better than Mr. Masen?"

"I've taken several courses on the study of flowers. I'm close to finishing a degree in horticulture."

I suddenly felt all of my friend's eyes watching me. I took a silent deep breath and kept my composure.

"And what do you believe the meaning of striped carnations hold?"

She cleared her throat softly, looking around the room. All of my closest girlfriends were watching her carefully. Vera however was patting my leg in an attempt to calm me down. "They are typically given when you are refusing someone's love. Such as, if someone proposed and wanted to say no" The girl lowered her eyes to avoid my glare. The corner of her mouth was twitching slightly. For her sake, I hoped it was a nervous spasm and not the beginning of a smirk.

A few wet spots started to form on my dress in the deadly silence that took over the room. I looked down in my lap to see that my hands were shaking so terribly with rage that the tea in my cup had sloshed over the rim.

"Excuse me for one moment, ladies." I slowly rose from my seat, and headed towards my bathroom. I took slow and deliberate steps, controlling my body from the quick sprint of embarrassment. Once safely inside the comfort of my privacy, I let out a strangled scream. What was I going to do? The flowers had already been ordered. I was just mortified in front of half the town's most affluent daughters by a poor plain professor's child.

Taking a deep breath and staring at the fiercely beautiful woman in the mirror, I took comfort in one thought. I was going to kill Edward Masen.


	2. Happily Never After Part 1

Happily Never After

Once upon a time, there was a damsel in stress. Yes, stress. Not distressed. I could handle this. There were empty cupboards in my apartment and hungry children playing in the living room. I pulled the ceramic teapot from the dusty shelf and peered inside. Also empty.

"Anna, I'm hungry," my younger brother whined, tugging on my apron strings.

"I know, honey. You go play and I'll find you something to eat." I ruffled the hair on his head and sighed. My eyes fell on the top cupboard as he left the room. I typically did not put things up there because it was out of my reach. Hope inside me fluttered while I imagined the possibilities of what could be hiding. Pulling one of the kitchen chairs over, I stepped up and peered into the back of the cupboard. A box of cookies sat in all its sugary glory. I was sure they would be stale, but they would have to do. I reached out for it, standing on my toes to gain a couple of inches. After two attempts my fingers finally grabbed a hold of the box. I smiled as I pulled it to me. The toothy grin, however, quickly disappeared once I saw what else was hiding in that cupboard, a nearly empty bottle of moonshine.

In a land not as far as you would think, there was an Evil Witch with three children in her care. The Witch had once been married to the father of these children, but he was taken away from her. He was turned into an angel with the eternal task of watching over the Witch and her children, making sure she did the right thing. However, there is only so much divine intervention one can do from Heaven. The Witch did not know what to do with children by herself. Instead of learning to take care of the children, she focused on only what she had lost. She tried thousands of potions to bring him back, but the more she made, the further away he would become. Soon the children could no longer recognize their mother. The potions changed her, piece by piece, until only a monster was left. It was a potion that finally killed her.

I was afraid of becoming the Evil Witch. I slammed the cupboard shut and jumped off the chair. I needed to feed the children and get ready for work. I didn't have time to think about my dead parents and imperfect life.

Then one day, a little mistake on the piano changed everything. At the Blind Tiger I was normally preoccupied in the discussions with my friends or hunting for the man that killed my father. I knew there was music playing in the background but I never really took notice, until that night.

On stage was a beautiful boy, his hands feverishly moving across the piano keys. He could have been no older than 18. He raised his head of bronze locks and met my gaze. Those red eyes peered at me as if he could see everything about me with just a glance. I turned away. I felt exposed with that one look. He looked sinister and angelic at the same time. He was an enigma. I wanted to know more about him.

The remainder of the evening sped by in a blur of drinks and songs. My thoughts, I knew, were a jumbled mess from the alcohol and from the exquisite musician. His soft notes were spinning me into a sense of comfort and happiness. When the music stopped, I was suddenly aware of my surroundings. The bar was empty other than one man, and the band. I whipped my head around, looking for Harry, but he had already left for the night. The kids were probably wondering where I was. I typically didn't stay this long at the bar. Once I realized that my father's killer wasn't there, I usually excused myself from the festivities and went home to my family.

I grabbed my well-worn jacket off the chair and headed to the door. The feeling that I was being watched followed me to the exit. Turning around, I met the pianist's stare yet again. Those red eyes were intensely fixed upon me, scowling slightly. A cold shiver ran along my spine as I returned his gaze. I smiled at him, wondering why he looked angry as I walked out the door.

When I started walking back to my home, the amount of alcohol I consumed was taking full effect. My paces were unsteady, and my sight was blurred. I never let myself drink this much. There was so much of the night I could not remember other than watching the man at the piano.

After a block or two, I wasn't keeping track of the distance I had walked, I felt like I was falling. Catching myself before I fell, I shook my head at my silliness. I took another step and paused. Something wasn't right. My foot was cold. Looking down, I saw that I was missing a shoe. I looked around wildly, wondering what had happened to my precious heel. It was one of my favorites. I couldn't have a left shoe without a right one. I spotted it lodged in a crack in the sidewalk.

"Oops!" I laughed, reaching down to release it from the crevice.

"Are you alright, girly?" I was shocked to hear another voice on these empty streets. Turning my head slightly, I saw a man shaped blur standing behind me. His hands were on my waist to help me stay steady.

"Yes, sir." I answered. "I am perfectly fine. Just a bit clumsy." I looked down at my shoe, wondering how much balance it was going to take to put back on. Well, at least this blur could make itself useful. I reached my hand towards it until I felt a solid surface. I wanted to make sure this wasn't a apparition appearing before me. Once I was balanced, I raised my knee to replace the shoe back on my foot. And Cinderella lived happily ever after with her Prince Charming.

Once satisfied that my shoe was going to stay on this time, I turned to the blur. His figure was starting to solidify. Peering at his face, he looked familiar. I had to know him from somewhere. It felt like it had to have been recently.

"Weren't you in the bar?" I tried to place him, squinting a little to see if that made the dark outlines anymore clearer. His hands were still on my waist. He was the one buying me drinks all night, and the only other person in the bar before I left. His face was turned away from mine now, looking over my head into the darkness. The cold shiver shuddered through my body again. Warning! All the signals in my body were telling me to run. My heart was pounding in my chest, my breathing was becoming labored.

"I best be going." I looked around me, but all I could see was darkness. How fast can I run away? Not in these shoes. I started to walk away, hoping he wouldn't follow me.

"What's the hurry, girly?" No such luck. I glanced over my shoulder and saw that he was indeed following me. I ran. My escape was foiled by my shoes, my favorite heels flying off my feet in a matter of steps. Falling to my knees, I started to cry in pain and fear. I was going to die. The chief wasn't around to escort me home. I was going to die. The man's hand covered my mouth to prevent me from screaming as he grabbed me. I tried to kick and yell as much as I could, but the sound was muffled and my small frame was useless against his large body.

He started to drag me into an alley. I wasn't fighting for my life anymore. I was fighting for the kids. They had already lost their father and their mother. I didn't want them to lose me too. I knew Harry and Mary would take care of them for me if something were to happen. I wasn't going to die. I was going to fight. His hand slipped a little from my mouth as I struggled, just enough for me to open my teeth. I clenched down on his finger as much as I could. My jaw ached from the pressure but I wasn't going to let go. Please let the pain be enough for him to stop and let me go. If he released his other arm just a little I could be free.

"You little bitch," he cursed at me, pulling his hand from my mouth. I tried to turn from his embrace, but his now bleeding hand backhanded me across the cheek. My skinned burned from the slap. I let out another cry of pain.

"Let go of her," a silky growl vibrated against the alley walls. My eyes were full of tears, I didn't catch sight of the speaker until my body crashed into the ground.

"Get out of here, Piano Man." Piano? I pushed myself into a sitting position, staring at the dark angel at the entrance of the alley. I was frightened. This did not seem like the boy that played the beautiful music. This was a sinister sight, his ruby red eyes meeting mine for the third time this evening.

"Run." He turned his sight back to my attacker. I did as I was told, running towards him to escape. The street light behind him shone like a halo. I couldn't think of anything but of the image before me. Dark demon growling at his prey. I ran pass him, down the street, up my stairs, and into my little apartment. Once the door was safely shut, I leaned against the wood for support, letting my body slide down to the floor.

My knight in shining armor came to me in a demon form. I survived tonight because of him. I was certain the drunk was going to rape and kill me. The Piano Man saved me. I almost died. The urgency of the night had left nausea in its place. I heaved my body off the ground and rushed to the sink, emptying the contents of my stomach. Once the waves of illness stopped crashing over my body, I sneaked into the children's bedroom. Sarah and Bobby were sleeping soundly, looking like cherubs. I removed the pillows that they used to separate their sides of the bed and crawled into the small space. This tiny bed was hardly big enough for the two of them, but tonight it would have to house three. Their quiet snores were soothing, and quickly sang me to sleep.


	3. Happily Never After Part 2

**Chapter 2 – The Spell Breaks After Midnight**

Sleeping Beauty was not woken by a kiss from her true love. She was forcefully poked and prodded until she finally said enough was enough and got out of bed.

"Bobby, if you poke me one more time I'm going to let the monster out of the closet," I grumbled. My eyes were not open yet, but I could tell that the morning would not be my friend today.

"You're squashing Sir Snugglesalot," he yelled. With one strong tug, his stuffed bear was released from under my head and let my skull drop onto the hard mattress. A small curse escaped my lips as the pain from a night of drinking over took my senses.

"Anna!" Sarah said with a breathless whisper. "You're not supposed to say that word."

"I know, dear. I apologize." I guess this was as good a time as any to start my morning. Heaving myself out of bed, I made my way to my decrepit kitchen to make breakfast. Unfortunately there was less food in the cupboards today than there was yesterday when they were already empty. My stomach growled in response to the sight. I'll borrow some money today and see if I can get an advance on my paycheck. I may be able to survive for a day or two without a decent meal, but I wasn't about to let these angels starve.

"Knock, knock, darlings." My fairy grandmother could hear hunger pains from a mile away. Mary let herself into my apartment, the smell of cornbread wafting through the rooms. "I was just a bundle of energy this morning and decided to bake. Would you kids like a few?"

Sarah and Bobby's noses pulled them into the kitchen. The sparkle in their eyes when they saw the cornbread broke my heart. I had been neglecting these two. If it wasn't for Mary I wouldn't be able to survive this. I was turning into the Evil Witch. I didn't want to be her.

While the kids munched happily, I pulled Mary aside.

"I won't need you to babysit tonight, I'm going to stay home." I told her. She watched Bobby during the day while I was at work and Sarah was at school.

"That's wonderful, dear. I'm sure Harry will be happy to hear it also." I knew neither one of them approved of my nights at the Blind Tiger. At least Harry knew why I went there. I had a sinking suspicion that Mary thought I was turning into my mother. I just wanted to feel a sense of justice. Last night, the situation I was putting myself in suddenly became dangerous. Harry had warned me to be carefully. I couldn't allow myself to drop my defenses again.

Mary offered to get Sarah ready for school so I could go have a little time to myself. I did not want to tell her why I needed to leave for work early. If she knew how poor we were at the moment, her maternal instinct would kick in full swing. I grabbed my umbrella and soon ventured out onto the street.

To me, the cracks on the sidewalks were the breadcrumbs that lead me home. I've traveled these routes enough to have memorized each one, and knowing which ones to avoid getting my heels caught in. However, last night, I felt like those little kids in the woods being tempted by the house made of sweets. I could understand a little more how the Evil Witch was tempted by those evil potions. They went down quite easily after a few. My breadcrumb cracks disappeared with each stumbled step home, and the danger of the wilderness awaited me in a dark alley.

Focus, Anna. There is a job at hand. I have to go seek the Great Wizard and ask for a loan, just enough to get the kids through the week. They need something else in their stomach besides cornbread.

Soon, my beloved cracked sidewalks transformed into the hardwood floors of the Carnegie Library. The yellow brick road that would lead me to the Director's office was a dull brown today. When it was sunny, this hall looked like gold. My hand shook as I reached up and knocked.

"Come in!" He shouted. In true irony, he was wearing a green tie today. I kept the chuckle to myself, not wishing to explain why I found his attire amusing this morning.

"Good morning, Mr. Harrison, do you have a moment?"

"Sit down, Ms. Brady, I always have time for you." We had an odd working relationship. He was a relatively young Director, and had been the key frontrunner as a potential suitor for me. Being the good Southern Belle I am, I would always politely turn down his requests. I had a family to worry about and a murderer to catch. I did not have time to date. I was also a hopeless romantic, and never felt like he was The One. Luckily, he was a gentlemen and never tried to take advantage of the situation.

"What can I help you with?" He asked, giving me a wide grin. I could only imagine what was going through his head. I have never come to him directly like this before.

"If it wouldn't be too much of a problem, I was wondering if I could get an advance on my payment this week. I have a few extra bills to pay, and need the money early."

This apparently was not what he was expecting. The smile disappeared quickly, and was replaced by disappointment and seriousness.

"Are you still spending your money at the Blind Tiger?"

"Pardon me, sir," I acted insulted, "but I have never spent a dime on illegal moonshine." _Others just buy it for me, _I thought solemnly. My family's history was public knowledge in this town. They all thought I was ending up just like her.

"I apologize, I did not mean to offend. Do you just need this week's?" He turned to the safe behind his desk, blushing a little. I guess guilt made him jump quickly.

"Yes, that will be plenty."

The meeting with Mr. Harrison had gone surprisingly well. Of all the scenarios I played through before hand, I had never imagined it would be that easy. Tonight, I will cook a decent dinner for all of us, even Mary and Harry. After all, without them, we wouldn't be able to survive. I was humming a tune to myself as I stacked returned books back on the shelves. My mood had been uplifted enough that I had forgotten all about my attacker, until a smooth voice drew my attention.

"Excuse me, could you point me in the direction of your…" I looked up with a smile, but my eyes were met with red irises. My heart stopped beating as last night replayed in slow motion.

"You!" I gasped, letting the books tumble through my fingertips. The loud crash in the almost silent library brought me back to the present. A shush was hissed my way from a fellow librarian. How embarrassing. I looked around before crouching down to pick the books off the floor.

"You're a librarian?" He laughed, taking the book that I was reaching for. The tone in which these words were uttered angered me. I stood up and glared at him. At this moment, we were on an even battlefield. He may be a gorgeous demonic angel, but I knew I could be just as intimidating.

"Yes, I am. A girl has to make a living, doesn't she?" I huffed. Who is he to judge me? He doesn't know anything about me. I wanted to give him hell. Forget the rule of silence, this man was not going to insult my livelihood and get away with it. But he did, because I was quickly blindsided by a racing banshee.

"Anna! You will not believe what I just heard!" My arms were in vices and spun me away from my savior in a white shirt and trousers. My eyes refocused on my friend, Dorothy. She was still in last night's clothes, no doubt that she had not spent time in her own bed. He was still standing beside us, watching in amusement. I wondered if he was going to just keep standing there and listen to our conversation. As if he could read my mind, he bowed his head and moved to the other end of the stacks.

"I just ran into the writer from the Daily Observer, and you would not believe what he told me," she gushed in excitement. She was talking so fast, I could barely keep up. Or, perhaps, I was just distracted by this man visiting me at work.

"What is it Dorothy? I need to get back to work." I was still watching him, trying to figure out his story. His outfit was very simple, a man couldn't go wrong with black and white. His hair was a mess, a permanent field of cowlicks. He stood like a tree, tall and straight, no signs of slouching. He reached for a book, but it didn't seem like he was actually reading the words.

"Ray Scott was just found washed up in Hope Creek." She raised her hands to her mouth, as if she couldn't believe the words herself. What was she talking about? How is this any importance to me? I wanted to find out more about this man that is a few feet away, not some guy that I didn't recognize.

"Who is Ray Scott?" I asked slowly, trying to feign interest.

"The man that was buying you drinks all night." With each word, the scene grew a little brighter. A rough looking man sitting next to me at the table. He kept getting closer, but I wasn't paying any attention. Callused hands on my hips, eyes looking for a suitable spot. Dirt and blood and flesh in my mouth. I turned my head towards the young boy. He wasn't a man, by any means. He couldn't have. He's a piano player. Though he did look intimidating last night.

"Did he say what happened?" My interest was piqued now. What did this boy do?

"The police said there was alcohol in his blood. He lives down by the creek. They are theorizing that he took a walk, fell, hit his head, and fell in." Dorothy told me.

"So it was just an accident?" How quick I was to assume this piano player had something to do with his death. Though it seemed highly coincidental for him to now be dead.

"Appears so. Why?" Dorothy raised an eyebrow at me. I started to get nervous that I would look suspicious to her. If you asked Harry or even my late father, I would be the top of the suspects list.

"Well, you know in these hard times. This area does have a high crime rate." I stole a quick glance at the piano boy, who was still reading the same book he picked up at the beginning of my conversation. I wonder if he realized it was upside down.

"Sugar, I need to get back to work," I told Dorothy quietly, eager to get back to my savior.

"Will you be at the Blind Tiger tonight?" she whispered. I shook my head, already having plans set.

"Not tonight, I'm going to stay in with the children." I told her, picturing what I was planning on doing with Sarah and Bobby.

"Alright dear, the crowd will miss you tonight. Is that…the piano guy?" I didn't realize that I was still watching him, and embarrassed that I was caught.

"Yes, it is." I answered simply.

"What's he doing here?"

"Checking out books, I guess." I shrugged, letting a smile play on my lips. Dorothy laughed a little before giving me a hug and walking out of the library. I waited for the door to shut behind her before facing the Piano Boy.

"I'm sorry about that," I apologized to him, trying to come up with the right words. "I want to thank you for helping me." There were so many things I wanted to say to him and ask him. What happened last night? How did he find me? Why were his eyes red? He was staring at me with a slight scowl. We could not talk here. There was a group of stacks in the back that were never frequented, a collection of psychology books that were outdated. I went to grab his hand, to drag him behind me so I could bombard him with questions, but I clenched air. I looked down swearing that I had seen his hand there a moment ago.

"Follow me," I whispered, turning on my heel and walking towards my chosen destination. I wanted to ask him so many things, each one running through my mind in a stampede. Once I knew we were out of sight and hearing distance I stopped abruptly. I half expected him to run into me, but he stood still as a statue a couple of feet from me.

"What did you do to Ray after you told me to run?" The first of many questions blurted from my lips before I really had time to think. I'm sure there was a better way I could have asked that without blatantly accusing him.

"I told him he shouldn't treat women that way, and sent him on his way." He answered without missing a beat. Obviously he had been practicing this answer, and very well knew who Ray was.

"You're not telling me the truth," my verbal barriers betraying me again. He paused this time, watching me curiously.

"Well, I may have punched him," his words made the edges of his mouth turn up slightly into a smile. However, I knew this was not the whole story. There was no happily ever after here.

"He was found dead this morning, apparently." My tone was still harsh, each word cutting like a knight's sword.

"If he was a better man, I would say that was a shame, but I'm afraid I can make no such sentiment."

The words were shocking, but I knew my eyes were sparkling with amusement. What a strange man, to talk so calmly when I was basically accusing him of murder.

"Yes, I would have to say the same thing." I paused, and looked into those brilliant red eyes. They looked darker today, like mud and blood swirled together. "Thank you again, you probably saved my life last night. I'm in your debt." Like a knight devoting his allegiance to a queen, I felt like I would never be able to repay him for what he had done.

"You owe me nothing. I was just doing my civic duty. So, can you point me in the direction of your newest additions?" He's really changing the subject to books? I could have been killed last night, which he stopped, and he wants to know where the new books are? He was acting as if it was no big deal to save a girl. A true knight in shining armor, proving his heroism one damsel at a time. 

"They are up front, where you were looking, while I was speaking with Dorothy," I said slowly, eyeing him suspiciously. He wasn't reading the books. I bet he was eavesdropping. But he was so far away, he couldn't have heard anything. His eyes widened a bit. He knew he was caught.

"Oh yes, I was wondering if you had any other ones. I'm looking for something in particular." The smooth piano man grabbed a random book off the shelve and started, or should I say pretended, to read. After a few seconds, he flipped the book over to read the cover and put it back on the shelf without a word.

"Really, which author?" After all, I was a librarian, I should be able to help him find whatever he was looking for. Our eyes locked for only a few moments. Though his face was a stone, I could see conflicting emotions through those red orbs. Surprise. Shock. Pain. Love. While the last one registered in my mind, I heard him utter a quick goodbye before sprinting away.


	4. Happily Never After Part 3

**Chapter 3 – Home Sweet Home**

What did I do to make him rush away so urgently? It bothered me the rest of the day. I went through the motions of my daily tasks: stocking books, checking out books, stocking more books. I avoided contact with my coworkers, deeply lost in my thoughts.

Why was this bothering me? _Because he's intriguing. You've never met someone like him. _

I started to think of what life could be like with him, carrying a torch for the Piano Man. Would he be the settling down type? How would he interact with my sibling? Better yet, what would his reaction be when he found out about my life? Was I a worthy enough person for happily ever after?

After my shift was over, I tried to distract myself with food shopping. I wanted to prepare a nice meal for the children tonight, to make up for the lackluster guardian I was. My fingers trailed over display of chocolate bars. My father would always come home with these for us. They were his favorite, and loved to spoil us. I missed him so much. I pulled my hand away from the paper wrappers and placed it over my aching heart. Some days I liked to believe he was watching over all of us, wearing his navy blue uniform and a pair of angel wings. Others, I was afraid to imagine what he thought of the person I had become. A Dumb Dora haunting a smoky speakeasy in hope of finding a long lost killer or finding an escape from reality. The candy wrappers continued to taunt me until I grabbed two and threw them in my basket. I was going to be a better sister.

When I came home, I was immediately greeted by four arms wrapping themselves around my legs.

"Why, are you excited to see me or something?" I laughed, trying to drag my feet across the floor.

"What'd bring us?" Bobby asked watching with wide eyes as I set the grocery bag on the counter.

"Vegetables." I saw their faces shift with disgust. "And maybe a little special surprise, for two very good children. Were you good today?"

"Yes!" was shouted in chorus. I pulled the bars from the bag and handed one to each of them. "Now you can't eat them until after dinner." I cupped each of their cheeks lovingly. As soon as my fingers touched Sarah's skin, I knew something was wrong. She was running a temperature and was very flushed. I hope she's not getting sick. I moved my hand to her forehead. Definitely a temperature.

"How are you feeling, Sarah?"

"Tired." She murmured, closing her eyes slightly. This was all my fault. I felt like a damn fool for thinking I could take care of these two on my own.

"Are you hungry? I can make you some soup." I offered. She nodded weakly before turning back to the living room. Pulling a can of chicken soup from my newly purchased groceries, I turned to the stove and started to make dinner for the two children. They could finally get the nutrients they needed. As soon as the water was boiling, I called them to the table. They slurped the soup greedily.

"Anna?" A loud voice came from the hallway accompanied by thundering knocking.

"Harry, the door is unlocked," I called back keeping my focus on the children.

"You know you shouldn't leave that unlocked. Who knows who could be lurking around outside." My ever present worrier took a seat at my table and removed his hat. The children emptied their bowls quickly and ran off to the living room to play.

"Can I get you anything, Harry?" I asked, disregarding what he said.

"Tea, if you don't mind."

I took some of the boiling water left over from the soup and poured it into a teacup. Upon opening the box I kept my teabags in, my heart sank. There was only one bag left. I dumped it into the water, trying not to mourn its lost. I would just have to save it once he was done, and get another use out of it. Sure it will be weak, but it was better than having nothing.

"You know that piano boy from the Blind Tiger?"

"Yes, why?" I handed him his cup. I tilted my head slightly to listen for the children playing. I didn't hear anything unusual, so they must be just fine. Hopefully the soup would make Sarah feel a little better. Turning back to Harry, I noticed he had placed the teabag on a spoon. I grabbed an empty cup and slipped the bag into the cup to dry out and be used for my breakfast the next morning.

"He was outside, asking about you." His words shocked me, the cup in my hands slipped between my fingers and crashed to the ground. Me? He was asking about me. Was he still out there? I turned my eyes towards the window. The noise in the living room shifted to rushing feet coming towards the kitchen. The urgency pulled my mind away from the prospect outside.

"Don't walk in here!" I shouted, holding my arms out to stop the children. There was broken porcelain all over the floor. The last thing any of us needed was for the shards to be in their little bare feet. I pulled a towel off the counter and started to sweep up the pieces. _I guess I won't have any tea this week, _I thought while I shook the pieces out of the towel and into the trash can. Sarah and Bobby headed back to the living room, and my mind went back to the topic on hand.

"Did you say anything?" My heart started to beat more rapidly as I thought about him checking in on me. While he was quite frightening last night, at the library he seemed like just a normal teenage boy. One capable of murder? Perhaps.

"Just that he shouldn't be hanging around outside like that, and that you didn't need boys like him sniffing around."

"Harry, he's a nice boy, not like the others at the Blind Tiger." He was different from my father in this way. My father would never judge a person without getting to know them.

"When are you going to stop going to that place?"

I kept my head down, continuing to pick up the pieces carefully. "I don't know. It's hard to explain." The Blind Tiger did many things for me. It gave me a chance to socialize with my girlfriends and other people my age. I could act like a normal twenty year old who wasn't the guardian of her two siblings.

"I know, kid. I'm glad to see you staying in tonight, bet Mary's happy to have a night off."

Mary's kindness was extraordinary. I would never be able to keep up with Sarah and Bobby if it wasn't for her. "I'll never be able to pay the two of you back for everything you have done for us. If it gets to be too hard for her, let me know. I can try to find someone else." Harry was definitely the substitute father figure we needed.

"Heaven's sake, no, she loves you kids like her own. Your father would never forgive me if I let something happen to you. He'd come right down from above and kick my arse."

I giggled, knowing full well that my father would do that very thing. I started to remember my parents, when we were happy, before he was killed and our lives turned to the horrible mess.

"I miss him," I admitted, trying to keep the tears inside. To say I was a Daddy's girl would be an understatement. I never realized how heavily I depended on him until he was gone.

"We all do, Anna."

I closed my eyes, the tears threatening to spill any moment. The loss of my father had affected our mother more than anyone. The grief consumed her, and she consumed whisky. We had gotten into an argument about her drinking one night. That night she had thrown the whisky bottle at my head, missing only by inches. She was a changed person, and it was starting to frighten me. I did my best to keep her away from Sarah and Bobby. It took everything in my power to shelter them from her drunken rage. The scene shifted and I remembered the night the three of us hid from her in the closet. She was looking for another fight. I barricaded us in the closet as she pounded on the door and screamed.

"Anna, hon," Harry interrupted my memories, "don't think about her. You're better than that."

"It wasn't her, it was the grief." My mother had been a loving, caring person before my father was killed. "She couldn't handle losing him." My tears betrayed me, one slipping down my cheek. I brushed it away as quickly as it had appeared.

"Just don't let you lose yourself to the bottle like she did."

"I won't, Harry. I promise you that." I turned my head to glance at the clock and saw that it was far pass the kids bed time.

"I better put the kids to bed. Thanks for coming over." I started to clean up the table from dinner as he started to leave.

"Oh, that piano kid asked me to pass along a message. I can't remember the exact wording, but something along the lines of wishing you a better night." He closed the door behind him, leaving me shocked and confused in the kitchen alone.


End file.
